SEATTLE, WA – Julie Ann Dahlquist, 52, of Auburn, Washington, will spend the next two years in federal prison after being sentenced today for a callous and calculated fraud scheme. Dahlquist preyed on the kindness of an elderly Auburn resident, falsely claiming a cancer diagnosis to siphon over $400,000 from the victim, authorities announced.
U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez handed down the two-year sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. The judge didn’t mince words, stating the crime was “no less than elder abuse – taking advantage of the victim’s good nature to steal his money.” Dahlquist pleaded guilty November 15, 2013, to Social Security fraud, but the scope of her deception extends far beyond that single charge.
Between May 2009 and September 2012, Dahlquist spun a web of lies, convincing the elderly victim she needed financial assistance for cancer treatment. Court records reveal the victim, believing her story, regularly wrote checks – sometimes for as much as $9,000, three times a month – totaling over $400,000. The money, however, never reached any oncologist. Instead, it fueled Dahlquist’s gambling addiction and covered other personal expenses.
The fraud didn’t stop there. Dahlquist simultaneously defrauded the Social Security Administration, concealing the $400,000 she’d stolen to illegally collect $8,000 in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. She also pocketed more than $8,000 in food and medical benefits from the State of Washington, doubling down on her deceit.
Prosecutors slammed the scheme as “truly outrageous,” highlighting the deliberate exploitation of a trusting retiree. “Julie Dahlquist recognized that (the victim) was a trusting and generous person, and because of those qualities she chose to prey on him,” they wrote in a court filing. The psychological impact on the victim is significant, with family members reporting he is “devastated to think that someone he was trying to help would take such extreme advantage of him.”
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) investigated the case, with Special Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson prosecuting as part of a collaborative effort between the Social Security Administration Office of General Counsel and the United States Attorney’s Office. Judge Martinez also ordered Dahlquist to pay $417,382 in restitution to the victim, a small measure of justice for a heartless betrayal.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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